Rail anchor or anticreep device for railway rails



April 17, 1926 m v 1,666,716

P. B. MEYER v RAIL ANCHOR OR ANTICREEP DEVICE FOR RAILWAY RAILS Filed June 23, 1927 Patented Apr. 17, 1928.

UNITED STATES; PATENT OFFICE i PERCY BARRINGTON MEYER, OF; LONDON, ENGLAND.

RAIL ANCHOR R ANTICREEP DEVICE ron RAiLWA RAILS.

Application filed June 23, 1927, Serial-N0. 200,945, and. in Great Britain August 6, 192 Y r J This invention consists in an; improved rail anchor or ant1-creep device for preventmg creeping of railway rails.

More particularly the invention'relates to tends transversely below the base flange of the rail, one portion or arm of the lever' member abutting against the face of the sleeper and the other portion or arm'bear:

ing against the-underside of the base flange of the rail when the rail anchor is in its operative position. I

An anti-creep device or rail anchor 'according to this invention is not only simple in construction but is also suchthat it canbe easily and, quickly placed in its operative position on the foot or base flange'of the rail without having to apply force, or hammer blows to move it along the. rail base or foot to its operative position in which it abuts against the face ofthe sleeper on which the rail is mounted, Further a rail anchor according to this invention is such that on creep of the rail taking place the hold .or grip of the rail anchor on the base flange or foot of thelrail is greatly increased as com- I pared with the hold or gripof rail anchors heretofore usually employed, so that a rail anchor according to this invention is much more effective for preventing creepof the rails. A rail anchor according to this invention is also such that should backward creep of therail take place (i. e. creep in the opposite direction to that inWhich creep normali ly or usually takes place) and carry the rail 4 pressure part or member is moved out :of

contact with the face of the sleeper, the an-' I ployed in rail anchors, i. e. it comprises a chor is maintained in proper position on the base flange or foot of the rail and will, as-

' soonas sufficient creep in the normal or forward direction takes place ,to bring the pressure part ormember of the anchor into con-- tact with the face ofthe sleeper, immediately come into action for increasing the grip flange,

the form of an arc.

anchor away from the sleeper, so thatitsor hold of theanchor on the railsba e 011' Further an anti-creep, device or rail anchor according tothis invent-ion is such that bears against the face of the sleeper only at a position well below the top or' upper edge of the sleeper evenwhen the rail towhich the anchor'is applied iscarried on a bearing plate on the top of the sleeper; preferably the anchor bears against the face of the sleeper at or below the horizontal centre line of the sleeper.

An anti-creep device ,or rail anchor according to this invention comprises a yoke or clip adapted to embrace the baseflange or foot of therail, and a'inember or lever fulcrumed on the horizontal. portion of the-said clip which lies-transversely below the base flange of the rail, the said member or lever comprising a relatively long arm which abuts against the face of the sleeper and a; short arm which abuts against the underside of the base flange or foot of the rail when the, anchor is mountedin-its operative position thereon, the said arms lying on opposite sides of the fulcrum formed by the transverse portion of the clip and the said member or lever being so formed that it extends, preferably with. an upward slope or curve, constantly or continuously in the direction away from the face of the sleeper to the end of the short arm of the lever. Thus formed the lever member has more or less @Preferably the form of the abovementioned member or lever is suchthat the edge at the end of the short arm of the lever will hor'izontal portion. which eXtendstranSverse-I ly below the rail base, and at opposite ends I of the said horizontal portion upwardly projecting portions with inwardly bent or hook like portions adapted to take over and bear' upon the upper side of the'baseflange of the rail. According to thislinvention, however,

' in one'embodiment thereof, the clip or yoke consists of a length of high tensile steel rod or bar of circular or approxin'iately circular form in cross-section and of appropriate diameter, the said rod or bar being shaped or formed so as to provide the aforesaid upwardly projecting portions with inturned ends. Sucha yoke or clip possesses a cer tain amount of resilience or spring. If desired, however, the rod or bar of which the clip is made may be a spring steel rod.

Further according to this invention, in the preferred embodiment thereof, the upwardly projecting and inturned (or hooklike) part at one side of the clip is so formed that it'has an inward projection between its upper end and its lower end which adjoins the horizontal portion of the clip, the said inward projection being provided for the purpose hereina'fter set'forth.

The invention further consists in the rail anchors substantially as hereinafter described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing a portion of a flat-bottomed rail with a rail anchor according to one embodiment of the invention in operative position on the base flange of the rail.

Fig.2 is an end view of Fig. 1 looking from the right hand.

I Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. 2 but shows the position of the rail anchor when it is being applied to the base flange of the rail. V

Fig; 4 is a similar view to Fig. '2 but shows the rail anchor having the modified form of the clip or yoke hereinafter described.

. Figs. 5 and 6 are views showing the method of applying the rail anchor with clip, according to Fig. 4-, to the base flange of the rail.

Like reference numbers indicate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings; a

In Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the yoke or clip which embraces the base'flange a of the rail, when the anchor is in its operative: position there on, comprises the horizontal portion b and the upwardly projecting and inwardly turned side or end portions 0 and (Z the in-' turned orhook-like ends 0 and (Z of which rest upon the upper side of the base flange a of the rail; 0 is the long or relatively long arm of the he'reinbefore'-mentioned lever member of the rail anchor and c is the short arm of tliesaid lever, this lever being mounted on the horizontal portion 7) of the clip member so that it can have a rocking movement thereon, the said horizontal portion 6 serving as the fulcrum of the lever. In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the lever member consists of a length ofsteel of standard T-se'ction bentor shaped as shown and having drille'dfthrou'glr the web 6 a hole of suflicient size to permit of the end of one of the inturned portions, for instance 0, of the clip member being passed or threaded through the said hole so as to position the lever member on the horizontal portion Z) of the clip member, the said hole in the Web being'of'a somewhat larger diameter than the diameter of the metal of which the clipmember is made so as to allow slight clearance between the web a of the lever and the horizontal part b of the clip. As shown in Fig. 1 the lever curves and slopes upwardly from the lower end of its longer arm 0 to the end of its shorter arm a, the face of the lever at or adjacent to the lower end of'its longer arm 6 abutting againstthe sleeper 7 when therail anchor is in it's operative position as shown in Fig. 1; also as shown inFi'g. 1, the upper side or face of the short arm 6' of the lever abuts or bears against the lower face of the base flange a of the rail at a position somewhat beyond the side of the clipmember remote from the sleeper f. The-lever member comprising the long arm 6' and'the' short arm a is preferably made in the form as shown in Fig. 1, that is" to say. witl'i a flat or relatively straightport'ion e between the curved portion or face at or adjacent to the lower end of the long arm 0 and the corresponding curved face or upper side of the short arm 6". The hole through the web 6 of the lever ine'r'nber is indicated at 9.

Referring to Fig. 3 which shows the method of applying'the rail anchor as illust'rat'ed'in Figs. 1 and 2 to the base flange of the rail, the upwardly and inwardly turned side or end portion 0, c of the member is first hooked over one side of the base flange a of the rail, as shown in Fig. 3, whereupon the other upwardly and inwardly turned side or end (Z, (Z of the clip member is raised and the" part c c is lowered, so that the clip takes the position shown in Fig. 2'.

iVith reference to Figs. 4, 5 and ti, in these figures the clip member is, as clearly shown in the drawings, made of diiiere'nt form from that shown in F igs. 1, 2 and 8, the clip member in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 having formed on the inside of the upwardly and inwardly turned side or end portion (P, (P a small projection h,- and this" clip being further so formed as to provide a recess j to accommodate the base fla i'ige a of the rail when applying the anchor th'er'etoas shown in Fig. 5, and a further recess which ac'coih'modates or receives the edge otthe base flange a when the rail anchor is in its o 'ierativev position thereon as shown in Fig 4. The shape of the ufpwardly turned side or end 0' of the rail anchor shown in Figs. 4. 5 and 6 also diifers fronr that of the tipwardly'tarned portion ash-awn in 2 a'nd 3, the" said portion 6 in Figs. & and 5 having an outward slope instead of an inward slopeais shown in Figs. 2 and 3. V This outward slope is not material, but an inward slope is not required as the recess 9' affords suflicient clearance to permit the clip-to be placed in its permanent position. V

The lever member comprising long or relatively long and short arms, respectively 6 and e, of the rail anchor shown. in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 is in all respects identical with the lever member shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

For placing the rail anchor of Figs. 4, 5 and 6 in its operative position on the base flange a of the rail as shown in Fig. 4, the clip member is heldv in the canted or tilted position shown in Fig. 5 and its side portion (Z d is moved laterally towards the base flange of the railuntil the edge of the base flange enters as far as possible into the hereinbefore-mentioned recess j whereupon the opposite end having the upwardly and inwardly turned portion 0 0 is raised and the clip member is then movedlaterally towards the right into the position shown in Fig.6 in which the above-mentioned small projection it rests on the upper edge of the base flange a of the rail.- The clip member is now brought into the final position shown in Fig. 4 by giving a hammer blow on the top of the inturned portion df of the clip which forces the projection it down past the edge of the base flangea of the rail so that the side of the said flange enters the recess of the clip member, this being the position shown in Fig. 4.

It is to be understood that the distance between the inner side for face of the :up-

wardly turned part c of the clip, against which the side or edge of the base flange a' of the rail rests as shown in Fig. 4,- and the face of the recess is in the upwardly turned part (Z d isslightly less than the width of the rail base a from side to side. when r the rail anchor'is in the position shown in Fig. 4 the clip member will, by its inherent resilience or spring, exert pressure upon and thus grip the sides or edges of the rail base 0, thereby ensuring against displacement of the clip, for instance by vibrations or by an accidental blow on one of'its ends or sides.

As hereinbefore-mentioned the rail anchor illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 can be very easily and quickly applied to the'base flange a of the rail and when mounted thereon in the position shown can be easily moved along Fig. 1.

Further The rail anchor with modified form of clip shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 can also be very easily and quickl placed inoperative position on the base ange of the rail, as with the anchor in the position shown in Fig. 6 if the lowerportion of the longer arm 6 of the lever member is not abutting against the sleeper f the clip member to gether with the lever member can be easily moved by hand alongthe base flange of the rail until the saidlonger arm of the lever abuts against the sleeper as shown in Fig. 1, whereupon the hammer blow can be struck on the portion 61 of the clip (Fig. 6) so as to bring it to the final position shown in Fig. 4.

The rail anchor as above describe'dand' shown inthe drawings is such that on creep taking place towards the left hand in Fig. 1, the lower portion of the longer arme of the lever member is pressed with increasing force against the face of the sleeper f so that the upper side or face of the short arm 6 of the lever is pressed with great force sleeper tendsto press downwardly the horizontal portion 6 of thefclip, thus not only pressing the undersides of the inturned portions 0 and d, Fig. 1,c d Fig. 4,.hard on the upper face of the base flange a of the rail, but also tending to contract the clip member so as to draw the side portions (0,

d or 0?, d laterally towards each other and thus give a firm lateral grip of the clip upon the edges or sides of the base flange of the rail.

Further when applying the rail anchor to the base flange of the rail, no forcible action is required for bringing the short arm e of the lever into contact with the base flange a of the rail.

Further with rail anchors according to this invention, should backward creep of the rail take place, that is creep in the direction opposite to that in which creep usually takes place, so that'the lower portion or end of the long arm 6' of the lever member is moved out of contact with the face of the sleeper f,

the lever member 6 of the rail anchor is an tomatically maintained or retained in its proper position with the upper side or end of the short arm e of the lever in contact with the underside of the base flange a of the rail, so that on creep taking place again in the normal direction, suflicient to again press the lower portion of the longer arm e of the lever against the face of the sleeper f, the lever will be immediately brought into action a for increasing the grip or held of the anchor upon the base flan e of; the rail. 5

As shown in the drawings the" widthof the lever member 6, a is much less than the length of the horizontal portion b of the clip or yoke, so that the lever member can, in the action of applying the rail anchor to the base flange of the rail, slide laterally along the horizontal portion Z) of the clip to one side or end thereof as shown in Figs. 3, 5 and 6 thus facilitating the placing or the rail anchor on mounted on the rail base as shown in Figs.

2 and 4:.

Although certain forms of construction of the clip member and the lever memberha've been hereinbefo're described and shown in the drawings, it is to be understood that modifications might be made in the form of construction oi both the clip and the lever member without departing from the main features of the invention.

For instance instead oi the clip or yoke member being circular or approximately circular in cross-section throughout, the metal of which the clip" or yoke is mademay be rectangular or square in cross-section with theexception that a predetermined length of the horizontal portion of the clip, which extends transversely below the base flange of the rail, may be circular or approximately circular in cross seoti-onthe l'ever meniber being mounted or fulcru'med on the said-circular portion.

sesame short end portion which engages with .the-

rail being arranged wholly toone side of the pivot portion otthe clip.

V A rail anchor, comprising a clip for engaging with the rail, and a gripping lever. I

T-shaped in cross-section and having end portions of different lengths, the web of the said lever being pivoted upoii'the clip and its flanges arranged to bear on, the tie and on the rail. V g

e. A rail anchor, comprising a clip formed of a bar of metal of substantially circular crosssection througl'iout its length and hav ing hook-shaped ends for engaging with the flange of the rail, and a gripping lever piv oted between its ends; on the clip.

5. A rail anchor, comprising a spring clip having hook-shaped ends for engaging with the rail, one end being provided with two recesses of different depths,1the deeper re cess permitting the clip to be slid transverse ly to the rail and the shallow reeessbeing adapted to lock the clip in its permanen position on the rail, and a gripp ing lever pivotedbetween its ends on the clip,

In test mony whereof I affix'my signature.

PERCY BARRINGTO N n 

